When Sharon Bannister ’88 was young, her father ended every letter he sent home from Vietnam with two simple words: “Be good.”
Those words would stay with Sharon throughout her time at Miami University, her 31-year career in the U.S. Air Force and now, in her life after military service.
As part of our Miami Made series, we sat down with Sharon to reflect on her Miami experience, leadership journey, and advice for today’s students. Throughout our conversation, one thing became clear. Those two words weren’t simply advice from her father. They became the foundation for how she would live, lead, and serve others.
The Early Years | Life At Miami
Long before Sharon became a Major General of the U.S. Air Force, her leadership and service to others began to take shape. She owes a lot of her philosophy on leadership to Miami.
“At Miami, I know how blessed I was to have attended one of our nation’s most prestigious universities. Miami’s virtues of Love and Honor shaped who I was becoming,” she said. “Miami’s mission of empowering students and faculty to be engaged citizens with integrity and compassion, guided me toward my ‘why,’ and ultimately shaped how I led and developed Airmen throughout my 31-year Air Force career.”
While Miami’s Code of Love and Honor was the starting point of her leadership journey, it’s the people around her who brought those values to life. Sharon vividly recalls having access to educators who genuinely wanted to see her succeed. Their unwavering support made her feel like she was part of the Miami family.
Sharon recalls one story in particular from a time when she was sitting Uptown at St. Mary’s with her Bible and History instructor, who happened to be a priest.
“I had arrived during office hours, so it was early afternoon, and I remember walking out at about 9 p.m. We had talked about the course, but we also talked about life and dreams and world events and fears of failure,” she recalled warmly.
But this wasn’t an isolated experience. Sharon remembered having similar conversations with her English, Physics, German, Calculus, and Psychology professors throughout her four years at Miami.
Making An Impact | An Influential Air Force Career
After graduating from Miami University with a degree in Chemistry, Sharon went on to earn her Doctor of Dental Surgery. She then went on to earn Master of Science degrees in Periodontics and National Resource Strategy, ultimately building a 31-year military career that included more than 20 years of executive leadership experience overseeing complex health care teams. Her final military role was as the director of medical operations for the Air Force and Space Force.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Sharon’s leadership was rooted in compassion, empathy, and a commitment to serving others.
Although Sharon initially joined the Air Force to only practice dentistry for a few years, an unexpected encounter with General Billy McCoy, who had served alongside her late father in Vietnam, changed how she viewed her military service.
For the first time, Sharon met someone who knew her father and could share memories of him. That conversation helped her recognize that her service was about something much larger than her profession.
As her career evolved from providing dental care to commanding military medical facilities and developing health policy, Sharon carried a deeply personal mission with her.
“I got to do so many things other than dentistry, and all I could think of in the back of my head was, how can I save one life like my dad’s in a way that we don’t have to have another Gold Star daughter,” she said.
Looking Ahead | Advice to the Next Generation of Leaders
Reflecting on her years at Miami and her time in the Air Force, Sharon has words of wisdom for thenext generation of leaders. Her first piece of advice? Students aren’t expected to have it all figured out. She certainly didn’t, and she wants them to know they don’t have to navigate that journey alone.
She also challenges students to write down what matters to them, and to make it one single sentence.
“You’ve got to know what your goals are. This goes back to mission, vision, values. If you can align all those together, you can do amazing things,” she said.
For Sharon, that sense of purpose has always been grounded in the values that guide her leadership.
“You have to have a true north … What do you want to achieve? I care deeply about those I serve. I always did. I lead with compassion, integrity, a service mind, and in alignment with Miami’s charge to the students, with an emphasis on excellence,” she said.
And, when asked what continues to guide her, Sharon returns to the two simple words her father shared decades ago.
“We just always have to be the best we can. So ‘be good’.”
